Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Bible” come from?

Bible derives from English Isabel through Latin biblia, from Ancient Greek βιβλίον, ultimately from Ancient Greek βίβλος meaning "book" with the diminutive suffix -ιον.

Bible (English): A specific version, edition, translation, or copy...

Definitions

  1. A specific version, edition, translation, or copy...

Ancestry of “Bible”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishbibleAny book that is of extensive length; A...
2Old Frenchbible—
3Medieval Latinbibliabook; Christian scripture; books
4LatinBiblia—
5Ancient Greekβιβλίαnominative/accusative/vocative plural of βιβλίον
6Ancient GreekβιβλίονStrip of papyrus; Small book, tablet, letter; Any...
7Ancient GreekβυβλίονStrip of papyrus; Small book, tablet, letter; Any...
8Ancient Greekβύβλοςpapyrus; book
9Phoenician𐤂𐤁𐤋—
10Phoenician𐤀𐤋god, deity
11Proto-Semiticʔil-deity, god

Words derived from “Bible”

  • biblist
  • Biblezine
  • ไบเบิล
  • iBhayibheli
  • Baibel
  • baibulo
  • Paipel
Every word from Proto-Semitic ʔil- →